Telus unlocking devices after 90 days of activation

Telus, a major wireless provider in Canada has just announced that as of February 15th, it will be offering customers the option to  unlock most of its SIM-based devices, giving users the freedom to activate its phones on other networks.

The cost for unlocking will be $50 and is limited to post-paid (phones on a contract) devices that have been activated for at least 90 days, according to today’s post on the Telus corporate blog.

As it stands today, the process of unlocking a Telus handset requires customers to use a third-party company, and as the Telus call center told us this morning, if you use third-party companies to unlock before one year, you’re completely voiding the manufacturer warranty.

Megan Fielding from Telus confirmed with us this afternoon that the new program will not void the warranty, and she stated that offering customers an unlock option enhances its customers overall experience, and provides them with the tools they need, especially when traveling abroad for long periods of time.

Fielding said that not all SIM devices will be included in the program, and the full list of eligible devices will be posted on the Telus site on February 15th 2011.

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If you’re a Telus customer this is great news and on a side note, we called Rogers, another large Canadian wireless carrier to hear that its unlock program requires customers to wait the entire term of the contract before being eligible for its $50 unlock fee.

Wireless devices are far more sophisticated and powerful than they were even five years ago and our customers are asking us now to give them the freedom and flexibility to use these devices as they wish. We are listening and responding to their needs, through services like device unlocking..” – David Fuller, Chief Marketing Officer at Telus